www.montereycountynow.com december 12-18, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 25 In 1984, Myra and Drew Goodman started with a 2.5-acre raspberry farm in Carmel Valley. Their priority was simple: No chemicals, no toxic inputs. They would sell at their roadside stand they named Earthbound Farm. Living near their crops and consuming the food themselves, they were determined to avoid synthetic inputs they viewed as harmful. Organic certification already existed, though it had not yet been adopted at the national level. At the time, it generally meant the same as it does today: farming without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or chemicals, eventually picking up enough steam to fuel the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. As the Goodmans expanded their operations—partnering with Mission Ranches in Salinas and diversifying into commodities like leafy greens and salad mixes—they eventually landed their first big-box retailer, Costco, in the early 1990s. However, at the time, the organic label faced challenges in the marketplace. “In the beginning, Costco did not want our salad labeled as organic. They thought organic meant overpriced, worse quality. They were like, ‘‘fine if it is organic, but we don’t want it to say organic on the label,’” Myra Goodman says. “That was a really big ethical decision: Do we want to use the Earthbound brand to sell a product that isn’t [labeled] organic?” But quickly, demand grew. Food safety problems were running amok, with tainted seafood and poultry making headlines, alongside growing concerns around pesticide residues— particularly the Alar scare, involving a pesticide used on apples that posed a cancer risk to children. Meanwhile, Whole Foods, once a small hippie marketplace, was taking off. And the Goodmans were at the forefront. By the late ’90s, the organic label was no longer to be avoided—the Goodmans say Costco was receiving complaints about not having organic options available in its stores. Earthbound Farm became the largest grower of organic produce in the United States in 1998; it is still the largest organic salad producer today, now owned by Taylor Farms. “The organic industry is way too small,” Myra Goodman said at her TED Talk in 2014, over a decade ago. “Sadly, less than 1 percent of our farmland is organic.” That remains true today, even though more than ever, consumers are purchasing organic products and bringing with them a better understanding of what the organic label means, as well as a belief that it is healthier and worth the premium. In 2023, U.S. sales of certified organic products reached a record high of nearly $70 billion, according to a report by the Organic Trade Association. Monterey County plays a key role in this market, ranking as the top county in the U.S. for organic production, and accounting for 8 percent of U.S. organic sales, with $740 million in 2022, according to the most recent agricultural census. Yet, while demand for organic products continues to grow, certified organic farmland in the U.S. still represents less than 1 percent of the country’s 880 million acres of farmland, according to the USDA. Of this, 17 percent is in California, which continues to expand its organic acreage. In Monterey County, it’s 15 percent. Historically, organic farming has been the underdog, going against the triedand-true systems of industrialized agriculture. Transitioning to organic means considering time, money and risk relative to the status quo, where margins are slim and shaped by markets, climate, subsidies and monopolies. Economically, organic farming is often more expensive than conventional. Crop yields can be lower and with no quick fixes for pests without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Those who want the label must adhere to a process, which is more time, money, and recordkeeping—challenges that become even harder during years when inflation drives up operational costs, making it difficult just to reach harvest, where many farms make much of their income. For example, Dirty Girl Produce, a fan favorite which supplies locals along with restaurants like Chez Panisse in Berkeley with its famous, dry-farmed tomatoes, launched a GoFundMe last summer, raising over $50,000 to help them get to harvest. “We have maxed out our farm funds and available credit lines and have another month before our income exceeds our expenses,” Joe Schirmer, owner of Dirty Girl Produce, wrote in the campaign. “In the 30 years I’ve been farming I’ve never been in quite this hard of a position.” Yet, the long-term benefits have the potential to outweigh the initial costs for many farmers. Organic produce can command higher prices—and also build healthier soils that absorb more water, and improve long-term productivity. Over time, consumers have come to share the Goodmans’ priorities: fewer chemicals and cleaner produce. While a direct link between synthetic pesticides and rising cancer rates—especially among younger generations— remains difficult to connect, the prevailing culture has embraced the idea that chemical-free produce is worth a premium. All of which has created a fundamental shift in the way people view their food, driving the market to demand more organic food. Even as demand is growing, overall acreage is stagnating due to a variety of cost pressures, including international competition favoring international growers with lower production costs. Additionally, more consolidation has led to more competition against economies of scale. “Organic is very much now a global market. And so the competition is really heightened,” says Kelly Damewood, CEO of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). “All the market studies show it is anticipated to increase, but where it’s getting sourced from has really changed…A lot of it comes down to just economics and price point.” On a sunny December morning in Watsonville, an inspector with CCOF, an industry leader in organic certification, visits a farm for its annual, routine inspection. But the scrutiny is mostly inside an office, not out in the sun in the fields. “It’s all about keeping a paper trail,” says the farmer, who remains anonymous for confidentiality, part of the Weekly’s agreement with CCOF to accompany an inspector on the tour. The farmer shares that they had one of his roughest years ever, due to rising costs of materials, labor and fuel. The CCOF inspector begins a As organic farmland nationwide remains stubbornly at less than 1 percent, Monterey County is a leader. By Katie Rodriguez Myra and Drew Goodman, founders of Earthbound Farm, with their first refrigerated delivery truck, in 1988 or ’89. Courtesy of Myra Goodman
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